My Best Hamburger Recipes

Hamburgers have always been one of America's favorite foods and the love affair is always hot!  Here are some of the best hamburger recipes I have ever seen, including one of my own creations.

Remember...

• For flavor and juiciness, burgers are best served medium-rare to medium well.  If you worry about contaminated ground meat, cook until well-done
  
  
• To turn out  the best tender and juicy hamburgers, prepare a panade.  Tear pieces of fresh sandwich bread into a bowl and moisten with a small amount of milk to form a soft paste.  Use about 1-2 tablespoons of prepared panade per pound of ground meat
  

Also, don't overwork the meat.  Mix in seasonings gently and form the patties lightly, without a lot of pressing, squeezing or mashing.  All of this forces out the air and compresses the meat, making the best hamburger recipe tough and rubbery   Although there is nothing like a beef hamburger,  ground turkey, chicken, pork or a combination of meats make fine substitutes

Chef Deb's Buffalo Burgers with Garlic Blue Cheese Remoulade
Makes 6 burgers

This best hamburger recipe is reminiscent of another American favorite, buffalo wings.  Packed with flavor and spice, the cooling blue cheese dressing includes the traditional celery crunch.  Buffalo burgers can also be cooked under a broiler or in a sauté pan. 

Garlic Blue Cheese Remoulade
1 cup mayonnaise
2 1/2 ozs crumbled blue cheese
1 small rib celery, finely diced 
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 tablespoon parsley, finely chopped
Pinch sugar
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

To Finish
2 cups arugula or shredded green leaf lettuce
Salt, freshly ground black pepper
Sprinkle of white wine vinegar (optional) 
Additional hot sauce for basting (optional)
6 hard rolls, split, toasted and each spread with 1/2-1 tablespoon or more of softened butter
Hot sauce for serving

In a small bowl mix ingredients for Garlic Blue Cheese Remoulade.  Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Finely mince onion and garlic or use a food processor and pulse until finely minced and slightly liquefied (this provides a little moisture).    In a large bowl combine the ground beef, onion and garlic mixture, Worcestershire, dry mustard and hot sauce. 

Mix thoroughly but gently with your hands.  Shape mixture into 6 burgers.  Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Light a grill. Season the burgers with salt and pepper and grill over a hot fire for 3-4 minutes per side for medium rare.  For extra spice, baste burgers with additional hot sauce towards the end of grilling. 

Place cut sides of rolls on outer edges of grill until lightly charred.  Remove from grill and generously butter both sides of the roll.   Spread thin layer of remoulade on bottom of roll. 

Place some lettuce leaves on top and season with salt, pepper and vinegar if desired.  Place burger on top and add more hot sauce if desired.  Top with a generous dollop of remoulade.  Top burger and serve. 

Big Easy Burger
Serves 6

This hamburger recipe is one of my childhood favorites.  Serve this burger on buttered toasted French bread or sandwich bread with ketchup and thinly sliced sweet onion....it takes me back home

2 slices sandwich bread
1/3 cup milk
1-1/2 pounds ground beef
1/4 cup ketchup
1 small onion, finely chopped, about 1/4 cup
2 teaspoons horseradish  (optional but good)
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon mustard
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Make a panade
In a large bowl, tear the bread slices into small pieces.   Add the milk, mix and let stand for about 10 minutes.  Add the rest of the ingredients and mix together. Shape mixture into 6 patties, each about 3/4-inch thick. Broil or grill patties, turning once, until the desired doneness is reached.

Add your favorite toppings and enjoy!
 

Easy Chili Cheese Burger
Makes 6 burgers

1-1/2 pounds ground beef
1 small onion, finely chopped, about 1/4 cup
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
1/4 teaspoon red pepper sauce or to taste
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
6 slices cheddar cheese
3 tablespoons canned or jarred green chilies

Combine the first 5 ingredients in a large bowl.  Shape the mixture into 12 thin patties, each about 3 1/2-inches in diameter. Place 1 cheese slice and about 11/2 tsp of the chilies on each of the 6 patties.

Top with the remaining 6 patties sealing the edges firmly. Season burgers on both sides with salt and pepper.  Broil or grill the patties until the desired doneness is reached, about 10 to 15 minutes.

Gorgonzola Burgers with Pancetta
Makes 4 burgers

Pancetta is usually sold in round slices.  Place one slice on the top and bottom of each burger. If using bacon, wrap each burger with one slice of bacon

1 1/2 pounds ground sirloin or chuck
Salt and freshly ground pepper
8 thin slices pancetta or 4 thick slices of bacon
4 ozs Gorgonzola cheese
4 hamburger buns or Kaiser rolls, split
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Romaine lettuce leaves
Tomato slices
Paper-thin sweet onion slices

Shape the meat into 4 patties and season on both sides with salt and pepper. Mold 1 slice of pancetta into the top and bottom of each hamburger. 

Grill the burgers over a medium-hot fire for about 4 minutes, or until nicely browned on the bottom. Flip and cook about 4 minutes longer or until nicely browned and cooked through.  Immediately top with the Gorgonzola so the cheese will melt slightly.

Meanwhile, brush the cut sides of the buns with the butter and grill them, cut side down, until lightly toasted.   Set the burgers on the bun bottoms and top with the lettuce, tomato and onion.

Best Black Bean Burgers with Spicy Chipotle Mayo
Makes 4-6 patties

1 (15-ounce) can reduced-sodium black beans, rinsed and drained
1 egg
1/2 yellow onion, chopped
1 cup whole wheat bread crumbs
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon hot sauce
Oil for sauteeing 

Put beans in a large bowl and mash well with a fork. Add egg, yellow onion, bread crumbs, oregano, basil, garlic powder, salt, pepper and hot sauce. Mix well to combine then shape into 4-6 patties.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Arrange patties in a single layer (working in batches, if needed) and cook, flipping once, until golden brown on both sides and cooked through, about 10 minutes total.  

Serve on buns Spicy Chipotle Mayo and favorite fixings

For the Spicy Chipotle Mayo:

Mix together: 

3 1/2 tablespoons mayonnaise 

1 tablespoon canned chipotle in adobo sauce

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